Skewered: WOM! A grandiose failed self-experiment

Today, with social networking reaching all the way to the bedside table and into the bathtub, WOM is all the rage. For all outsiders: WOM means "Word of Mouth". If you can share the most intimate details of your life with your digital fan base, why not share your everyday life too? So: Mrs. Dättwyler tests all kinds of stuff and then tells Mr. Hürrlimann and a thousand other Hürrlim men online which confi she made today or which shower gel she showered with and how, how her cat liked the new cat food or which rice she used for her risotto and how it turned out. Ms. Dättwyler is rewarded for her generous information with the products, which are sent to her free of charge.

I found the idea tempting: I get chocolate, shower gel, baby food, cheese biscuits and all sorts of other fine and useful things, I can test them for free and the only thing I have to do is give my opinion. Honestly and unembellished. I can do that, that's what I do. That's what I thought. And let me tell you something: after this self-experiment, I think WOM is hilarious!

Non-stop showers

First, I was sent twelve 250 ml shower gels, plus 50 shower gel samples and postcards, which I distributed to neighbors and friends. I was looking forward to the many fragrant, relaxing shower sessions. And then came the catch: after just one week, I was asked to give my opinion on the 3000 ml shower gel, broken down by type and by dozens of properties that can only really be assessed after a non-stop shower test lasting several days. A tough nut to crack even for a frequent showerer like me. After all, I'm no Nauplius!

In this emergency, my husband was very reliable in helping with the consumption and somewhat less reliable in assessing the shower products. Even our almost two-year-old lent a hand - the stuff foams up really well. My colleagues, when asked for their opinion on the samples, mostly left me in the lurch: "Wait a minute, where did I put that ...?" My God, and what am I supposed to say now?

Test with stomach pain

I had a similar experience with Apérogebäck, which I had signed up to test. I was asked to buy certain products from one manufacturer for a total of 40 francs, with the purchase price refunded after the final evaluation. Have you ever lived on just Chäschüechli, Schinkengipfeli, bruscetta and pizza rolls for 14 days? That's no fun, I tell you. And if it comes out your ears or somewhere else after the first bite - so what: a good WOMmer keeps on eating. Wurgs. At least in this case I knew what I was writing. After all, honesty is the top priority when it comes to WOMmen.

I also knew that I would never WOMme again. I'd rather buy a fine shower gel or a new convenience product, try it out in secret and exactly when I want to, without anyone knowing about it. And I look forward to it instead of having to deal with the stress of constant emails saying "Ms. Heinrich, you haven't written a review yet ...". But now - all the shower gels are empty and all the Chäschüechli have been eaten - our beloved domestic peace has not returned. No, I'm constantly being asked to test cat food. But not only do I not have a cat, I have no intention of ever allowing a domestic tiger into our four walls. I am a WOMmer, let me out of here!!!